


for reasons wretched and divine

by Phoebmonster



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, basically a narnia au, hurt comfort sort of?, it's a rollercoaster of emotions okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23236312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoebmonster/pseuds/Phoebmonster
Summary: AU - Ava is a princess, and Sara is the bandit who's kidnapped her, and together they have an adventure that changes them both, and their world, forever - featuring the rest of the legends as the loveable rogues we know they are at heart.(its the narnia / fantasy au that Really no one asked for lol)
Relationships: Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Comments: 70
Kudos: 258





	1. and lord, she found me just in time

**Author's Note:**

> me, sitting down to write: maybe i should write a oneshot  
> also me, nearly nine months and 20,000 words later with this: whoops
> 
> also if you're here to escape the general craziness in the world rn, you're not alone <3

Ava shuffled backwards, something hot and wet was dripping down into her eye, but she could still just see a shape in the distance creeping towards her. 

It was a small thing, a young woman. She was playing the flute.

She was entranced; she stopped, just for a moment, as the woman got closer and the music became louder, until she came into a shaft of moonlight, and Ava could make out she had the soft ears of a fawn and bright, amber eyes. Ava's eyes widened; she was frozen - the bedtime stories were real; the woods were filled with nightmares.

She got up as best she could and ran. Her body ached from being scratched by brambles, but she kept going, running as fast as her dazed legs could carry her, her bag thumping against her back, but the music was getting louder and the girl was getting closer. It swirled around her, a fearful chorus of wails and drums sounding from every twig and branch, and Ava realised she couldn't get away, couldn't escape, until the cacophony was almost upon her. Something heavy was brought down on her head with a crack, and the last thing she saw was the moon through the trees, the cold white light offering no protection as she slumped forward.

///

Ava sat up, far too quickly for her aching head. It was light – she must have been unconscious for a few hours at least. As her vision cleared, she looked up at a strange group all staring at her. They all seemed human, or half human at least. The girl who had chased her with the flute was there, and Ava could see now she wasn’t too different from any other person, only with the ears of a fawn and a slightly rounded nose, covered with a smattering of freckles. The man stood at the back was huge, not quite the seven-foot required to be a giant, but he wasn’t far off. The rest of the group seemed human enough – one girl, with dark hair and dark eyes was flanked by three men, looking at her curiously. They appeared to be led by a blonde woman, who was stood, hands on her hips, dressed rather casually in a white shirt and trousers, a sword swinging at her side. 

Ava stopped. She’d never seen a woman in trousers before.

“Who are you?” The blonde woman said, as the huge man bared his teeth menacingly.

“I’m nobody – I was just in the woods; I couldn’t find the road-” Ava said quickly.

“See, I’m not so sure. I don’t think you’re from around here.” The woman said, her mouth quirking up into a dangerous smile. “Everyone knows you don’t stray from the road. 

"There’s all sorts in these woods.”

“I have money – if that’s what you want -” Ava stuttered. She saw the dark-haired girl wave her purse.

“Oh, we know.” She opened it, then her brows knitted together.

“That’s not enough.” The huge man growled.

“Well, it’s all I’ve got.” Ava said with a huff. She wasn’t in the mood for this.

“This isn’t gold – it’s money from Fresnovia.” The dark-haired girl said, eyes wide.

“No way!” Said one of the men, strangely overexcited. “Let me look!”

Everyone turned to look at Ava.

“No one’s been in or out of that city for twenty-five years.” The blonde said, a little conspiratorially. “What were they saying in the tavern last night, Nate? The Sharpe princess had gone missing?”

“And there was a reward for her safe return.” Nate replied, eyes wide. “You don’t think -”

“This is a fine cloak.” The fawn-girl said, running her hand over the velvet, until Ava shrugged her hand off. “Fit for a princess.”

“I’m no princess.” Ava scoffed, acutely aware of her poor acting skills.

“Then we’ll just kill you and take your things.” The blonde man said, wiggling his fingers. Ava gasped when she saw the golden tendrils of magic appear between them.

The group shrugged, and he got closer, and Ava couldn’t help but remember every single thing she’d ever read about magic, how he could kill her by boiling her insides or   
breaking her bones or making her heart beat like a hummingbird’s until it exploded –

“Wait! I am. I am the princess.”

“Oh, we know.” The blonde woman said, grinning. “Next time you run away, don’t do it with your name written on the inside of your books.”

Ava blushed.

“I didn’t know that.” The dark-haired man hissed, where he was swiftly elbowed by the fawn.

Ava sat up, brushing the dirt from her arms, reminding herself – she was nobility. She should carry herself with more dignity than this. “If you know who I am, can I have the pleasure of knowing your names?”

The group said their names one by one, although the giant made more of a grunting noise.

“And I’m Sara.” The blonde woman said, holding out her hand, helping Ava up. She thought it was a nice gesture, until Sara grabbed something from her bag, and before Ava could protest, her hands were bound with a coarse rope.

She protested anyway. “There’s no need -”

“You don’t make the rules, princess.” Sara said, then tugged the rope experimentally, which caused Ava to stumble forward. “Which way?” She asked, and John pointed further into the trees.

The little group collected their bags and began to follow him.

“What’s going on!” Ava whined, her head still pounding.

Sara turned, and raised her eyebrow. “We’re bandits. We’re taking you back to Fresnovia and claiming the reward money. Didn’t think I needed to spell that out for you.”

Ava huffed, and decided to walk in silence, a protest that no-one else seemed to notice or care about.

///

As they walked, Ava focused on her surroundings to try and forget the ache in her wrists from the rope, and the pain in her arms from being stuck upright for hours on end.

The woods were thick, but from inside, they weren’t the blotch of almost black she had seen from her bedroom window. The breaks in their leaves created a dappled light that crossed their path. Wherever the light hit was illuminated, such brilliant hues of green brought forth from the leaves, colours Ava couldn’t have imagined. Her home was pale beige, the same stone used to build the roads, the buildings, the walls, yet here the colours were endless. She could sometimes make out a flock of birds darting above her and she was transfixed as they flitted about in the cloudless skies. Flowers too dotted the forest floor, purples and yellows and whites, in shapes Ava didn’t recognise. Some twisted up trees, some she saw the others carefully avoid.

They followed a path – one Ava couldn’t see at first, but she could make it our now, a trail where the undergrowth wasn’t so thick, and the soil was packed down from the footprints of those that had come before them.

“What’s it like then? In Fresnovia?” Nate asked her cheerfully, as if they were friends.

“It’s … quiet.” Ava muttered, not keen on engaging her captors in pleasant conversation.

“You gotta give us more than that – the city’s been closed for twenty-five years. Barely anyone alive has been inside, I’m curious.”

“It’s mostly books.” Ava said quietly. “Everywhere is built out of the same stone. There’s lots of … spires I guess.”

“You don’t seem too fond of it.” Ray said, suddenly appearing on her other side, taking an enormous bite of the apple in his hand. Ava’s mouth started to water, but she swallowed quickly. She had barely eaten in the previous days since she’d escaped – her own fault for packing her bag with books rather than supplies.

“It’s my home. It’s all I’ve ever known.” Ava said. “I guess it’s easy to get tired of.”

“You can never get tired of home.” Ray said with a grin. He’s finished the apple and tossed the core into the dense undergrowth. “I wish I could go back to mine.” He said, a little wistful.

“Where are you from?” Ava asked, trying to keep her mind off her aching feet.

Ray looked at Nate, having a wordless conversation over her head. “We – uh – probably shouldn’t tell you.” He said, almost apologetically. “The Captain doesn’t like us fraternising with the prisoners. Not again.”

“Again? How many people have you kidnapped?” Ava said, indignant, but she couldn’t ask anything else, as Sara had tugged on her rope, causing her to trip. She straightened up and scowled.

“Is that why you ran away?” Sara said, teasingly. “Bored of the privilege and high walls?”

Ava just scowled at her. 

“How did you even get out? Aren’t there … guards?” Ray piped up.

“I had my servants help me.” Ava said curtly. Her only regret in leaving was that her parents would have likely removed Gary and Mona from their posts for their part in her escape.   
“Then I bribed a guard to open the gate. It’s not a very interesting story.”

“I’ve always wanted to visit Fresnovia.” Nate said wistfully. “The library is said have ten thousand books in, and the scrolls along are long enough to reach from here to the Northern mountains -”

“Maybe they’ll let you have a look!” Ray said excitedly. “As a reward! I know the gold is the reward – could you put in a good word, your majesty? Or is it your highness?”

“Shouldn’t you not be talking to me?” Ava grumbled, and she heard Sara laugh from three feet in front of her. The boys shrugged, but before he moved to the front of the group to leave her alone, Ray pressed an apple into her bound hands. 

It was crisp and sweet, and the best thing Ava had ever tasted.

///

It was evening before they stopped, the light growing dim and everyone growing tired. They worked as a team, quietly and efficiently, building a fire and laying out mats on which to sleep. Ava just sat there, uncomfortable on the scratchy ground, having been tied to a nearby tree.

Sara had caught a rabbit, and now she was crouched over, running her knife along its belly with practised ease, pulling the fur from the flesh and severing the white tendons. With a horrible series of cracks, she pulled the bones from their joints, then set about shearing the meat from the bones and adding it, strip by strip, into the stew pot.   
Ava stared at it; she couldn't look away.

"You're not getting any." Mick grunted, and Ava grimaced. The glassy eyes of the rabbit were looking at her.

"I don't want it anyway." She said quietly.

It didn't look any more appetising when cooked - the meat had turned a funny grey colour, and the gruel it swam in had an almost oily sheen, with the chunks of vegetable bobbing around in it like drowning sailors. Ava had half a mind to refuse, but her stomach was almost painfully empty, so she accepted the half portion John dished out for her. 

They'd untied her hands to eat, which was almost civil of them.

They were ignoring her, discussing instead the best way through the mountains to the city.

“How do you know where we are?” Ava asked, the thought suddenly popping into her head. 

“What?” Nate asked.

“You don’t have a map or anything.”

“We just go where the adventure takes us!” Ray said optimistically, and Zari just rolled her eyes.

“I track by the stars. It’s something all pirate children can do before they can walk.”

“We don’t move at night though.” Ava said, taking a sip of her watery gruel. She coughed; it really was disgusting. “Do you just – go in a direction and check at night you went the right way?”

“Do you ever shut up?” Mick growled.

“Wait, I never questioned this. How do we know where we’re going?” Charlie said around a mouthful of meat.

“We use my excellent sense of direction.” Sara said, bending over to serve herself more soup.

“We use magic.” John said, exasperated. “I have a spell in place – if we go too far off course, I feel it and I can right it.”

“I didn’t know magic could be so … mundane.” Ava muttered, using her spoon to scrape the bowl clean. 

“It’s not all this ‘Ancient Ones’ crap.” Charlie said. “Most people just use it in everyday life. If I was at home, I’d be using the flute to get babies to sleep.”

“I had no idea.” Ava said, her interest piqued. “Talking about magic is banned in Fresnovia, there aren’t even any books in the library.”

“It’s like that in Star City too.” Nate said quietly. “Darhk ordered a purge of every book and document related to magic. He wants everyone to be afraid of it.”

“Only so he and his daughter can use it unopposed.” John said, clearly irked. “Making himself the most powerful man in the kingdom through fear.”

Ava nodded. She’d learnt of how Darhk had taken the throne by laying siege to Star City twelve years ago, and he’d ruled with an iron fist ever since.

“Is that why you’re here? In the woods? So you can use magic?” Ava asked, tipping the bowl up to her lips to get the last drops.

“I had to leave Star City when Darhk took control.” Ray said, quietly, sadly. “I was just about to become a knight, in the court of King Lance. Darhk had the rest of the them hunted and killed.”

Nate lent over and clapped him on the shoulder. “I left a year or two later. I objected to the palace book-burning, and he tried to have me arrested.”

“He tried to have me arrested to.” Mick said, using his spoon to scrape the last of the soup directly from the stew pot. Charlie snorted.

“Isn’t that because you committed a bunch of crimes?” She said, and Mick just shrugged, more focused on the pot.

Ava turned to Sara, but she was interrupted before she could say anything.

“Enough.” Sara said, almost too loudly. “It’s time to sleep, or it’ll be a week before we make it to Fresnovia.”

“I feel left out, I’ve never even been to Star City.” Zari said quietly, as the group stood up slowly and packed the campsite away. Within fifteen minutes, all had lain down to sleep. Charlie had wordlessly tied Ava back up to the tree, but with enough slack that she could lay down – furthest from the fire, of course. She shivered violently, the movement wracking her whole body.

“C’mon, we get nothing if you freeze to death.”

Ava turned and saw Sara was holding up the edge of the blanket.

“No thank you.” She said curtly, wrapping her cloak more tightly around her shoulders, no mean feat when her hands were tied together.

“You’re really gonna sleep out there? All night?” Sara snorted. “Suit yourself, princess.”

Ava sighed, then shook again. She swallowed her pride and wiggled over towards Sara in possible the most unladylike way, and took her share of the blanket. She could finally breathe; Sara was like a tiny furnace. She turned and looked up. 

Through the trees, she could see the inky blackness of the night sky, a canvas for a smattering of the brightest stars she’d ever known. The wind through the trees, Mick’s cacophonous snores and the pale light from the moon eventually lulled her to sleep.

///

Ava was surprised at how cohesive the team was, packing up the next morning so quickly they began walking at daybreak, just as the wispy white clouds of the dawn broke through the trees. She walked some way in silence, too tired to speak, but Nate insisted on being nice to her for some reason, telling her about the nature all around them.

She eventually persuaded him onto how the group all met, and that was at least a little more interesting. He told her how he’d met with Ray not far from Star City five years ago, then met Sara, Mick and John, who’d been robbing travellers along the road for years.

“They nearly robbed us, but we had nothing worth stealing!” He said, surprisingly blasé about the whole thing, then described how they’d ended up joining them, stealing from the merchants and anyone foolish enough to enter the woods. Zari had turned up a few months later, equally mysteriously, and then Charlie –

“She was your prisoner?” Ava said, incredulous, and Nate looked, open mouthed, realising what he’d just said. “How many young women have you kidnapped? Do you have a quota?”

“To be fair, you’re only the second.” Ray said. He never seemed far from Nate, so Ava wasn’t surprised when he appeared.

“Do you know the normal number of women to have kidnapped? It’s zero.” Ava said with a huff.

She then descended into silence, listening to the others argue amongst themselves about their moral position on kidnapping. They walked most of the day, only resting briefly, until they found a patch of clear, dry ground on which to sleep.

Apparently, she’d managed to peeve everyone off, so she was stuck behind Charlie and Zari as they collected sticks for the fire. More accurately, Charlie held the rope, and Zari piled sticks into Ava’s conveniently outstretched arms. They ignored her, but Ava wasn’t having it.

“Did they really kidnap you?” She said, spitting out a fleck of dirt that had made its way into her mouth from the sticks, which were now piled nearly as high as her chin.

Charlie shrugged. “Could have been worse. They were hired to kill me.”

Zari snorted. “We weren’t gonna kill you.”

“Oh, you were! You were all – whoosh -” Charlie said, and the two laughed, and Ava wondered if she was seeing things. 

“What?” 

“I can – look, it’s easier to show you.” Zari said, pressing something – a necklace maybe, that was hidden just under her shirt, and a gust of wind came from her hand, shaking the nearby trees and causing a few leaves to fall. Ava stared, open mouthed.

“Yeah, she had me up against a wall like that, but I persuaded them to let me go.” Charlie said, evidently unfazed by the magical display.

“No, we just took the money from your sisters then took you far enough away that they wouldn’t be suspicious.” Zari said, adding more sticks to the pile, and Ava had to crane her neck to see over them.

“Your sisters tried to have you killed?”

Charlie stopped, then shrugged, and Zari placed the last of the sticks in her arms.

“We should go back.” She said, and Ava could only wobble along behind them, trying not to fall or drop anything.

///

Whilst they’d been collecting the sticks, the other had gone down to the river, refilling the canteens and spearing fish for dinner. This time, Ava was allowed some, and they’d untied her hands, because the fish was rather thin and bony, and difficult to eat without using the fingertips to pry the pliable little bones from the white flesh. She enjoyed it – whatever herbs Ray had picked gave it an earthy saltiness, though she wished it wasn’t so dry.

After dinner, they followed the same routine as before, except –

They’d forgotten to retie her hands.

Ava lay there in the darkness, heart pounding. She’d decided to wait an hour to make sure everyone was asleep, and she was pretty sure everyone was. She stood up, careful not to wake up Sara who was curled next to her and crept towards the tree where they’d hung their bags.

Ava was feeling pleased with herself, as she crept through the undergrowth, the knapsack with the leftover fish inside bumping against her back. She was sure if she continued north, she could make it to the road before morning. Sara and her gang would have to be pretty bold to try and take her in the view of the stream of merchants that used it –

She stopped. She thought she’d heard a crack, just ahead.

It was nothing.

Then, a few steps ahead, she heard it again. Ava turned, maybe Sara was trying to sneak up on her –

The woods were dark and empty. 

She turned back.

In the clearing ahead, something dark and huge was stirring, and Ava couldn’t breathe. It reared up, back arching until it came to its full height – a bear, a black bear with thick, wiry fur, and bright eyes, paws stretched out, claws extended.

Ava ran, but she’d lost the path, she was stumbling through the thicket, her heart racing. She could hear the bear, the thumping of its paws on the ground, the heavy puffs of air from its nostrils, gaining on her. She screamed as her foot caught on a root, and she tumbled forwards, careering downwards until she landed in a heap – Ava turned, but it was there, sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight. 

She shut her eyes.

“Get back!” A familiar voice yelled, and Sara was in front of her, brandishing a flaming torch. The bear growled, and Sara jabbed the torch in its direction, her stance wide and tense. “Get away from her!” She shouted again, and the bear thumped down on all fours. For a second, Ava though he might charge and they’d both be dead, but instead he turned, then padded away, back into the darkness of the woods.

Ava’s breathing was coming fast; she couldn’t calm down. Sara held out her hand and pulled her up, reaching round her waist to steady her.

“You okay?” She said, eyes bright in the flickering light of the torch, and Ava could only nod. They made their way back to the camp, and Sara sat her down, a little way from the others, and dropped the torch into the dying fire, causing a little shower of sparks to spit up into the darkness. She pulled her leather water bottle from the tree where it hung and handed it to Ava.

“What, no thank you? I just saved your life.” Sara said, cocky smile on her face, and Ava could only roll her eyes. Her breathing was calming down; her limbs were no longer shaking.

“Could you not be an asshole for, like, five minutes?” Ava said, and Sara raised an eyebrow.

“For being your kidnapper, I think I’ve been pretty nice.” Sara said, pulling the blanket from where it had been discarded, and positioning it around them both. “Night, princess.” She muttered, with a yawn, and in five minutes, she was asleep.

Ava wasn’t in the mood for sleeping, with the adrenaline and fear still coursing through her veins, so she stayed sat up against the tree, sipping from the bottle, and watching the sun as it rose.

///

She must have dozed off a little, as she jerked awake when she heard a noise. The rest of the team were packing up the camp, the only person missing was Sara –

Who had apparently found her way, in her sleep, to laying her head on Ava’s thigh, her cheek squashed up against the velvet dress, with one arm slung around her leg.

“Wake up, sleepyhead!” Nate yelled. “We gotta go, Z says its gonna rain.”

Sara made an adorably annoyed noise, her face scrunching up, before she blinked and opened her eyes. She lifted her face from the makeshift pillow, then rubbed her eyes.

“I barely slept two hours.” She groaned. “You better be worth it.”

Ava scowled, annoyed Sara could be so crass whilst looking so adorable, with her pink cheeks and fluffy hair – she swallowed. She just held out her hands when Charlie came over and let herself be bound and led away down the trail.

The forest was starting to thin out, rocks popping up between the soil, and Ava could make out in the distance the edges of the blue mountains, slicing through the grey sky. They walked mostly in silence, Sara still grumpy after having so little sleep, so Ava contented herself with watching the scenery, until it started to rain. 

At first, it was just a patter, then it started to thunder down. The trees protected them a little, although the rain still soaked its way through her dress and turned her hair into stiff, sopping tendrils. Ava huffed; she couldn’t even wipe her eyes with her hands bound. Zari came up to her, and Ava was a little wary of what she was about to do, but she just pulled the hood of Ava’s cloak over her head, and Ava could only mutter a thank-you.

///

The rain eased off, but when they stopped to sleep, the ground was sodden and damp, and the fire was dismal, and mostly smoky. They ate cold fish and apples silence, and all went to bed a little earlier than normal.

The rest of the gang had gone to sleep, but Ava couldn’t settle, so she moved silently, getting up to sit just by the faint embers of the fire, warming her fingers that were still a little numb from the rain.

“If you’re trying to run away again, we passed wolf tracks back there, and I’m really too tired to save you again.” A muffled voice came from underneath the blanket, and Ava huffed.

“I wasn’t.”

“Then why are you up?”

“I can’t go back.” Ava said quietly. “I’ll give you anything, pay anything – please – I’ll give you some part, a finger or something, you might get some of the reward -”

“What are you talking about?” Sara muttered, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. 

“I ran away.” Ava said quietly. “I’m 25. My parents – they’ve been very kind, but they can’t wait any longer. I’m expected to choose a son of one of the noble families and be married by the end of the month.”

“The life of a princess, huh.” Sara said quietly. 

“I can’t do it.”

“What, marry a man you don’t love?”

“Marry a man.” It came out before Ava could stop it, and she saw Sara’s eyebrow raise in the darkness. “I don’t know why I’m telling you, as if it’s gonna make a difference -” Ava grumbled, laying back down to watch the stars through the trees.

It was a long time before sleep found her.


	2. we'd sit back and watch the world go by

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies for the late upload!!
> 
> bit of filler this week, but if you can't sit back and enjoy the fantasy setting once in a while, whats the point?

“Right, new plan – we’re letting Ava go.”

Ava looked up. They’d just finished packing up the camp, John stamping out the last of the fire with his boot. They all turned to look at their Captain.

“What?” Charlie said incredulously.

“No questions. We’re doing it.” Sara said, as casually as if she was asking one of them to go forage for food or clean her sword. Ava couldn’t speak, something big having settled over her chest.

“What about our money?” Mick grunted.

“If she goes back, it’s to an arranged marriage. I don’t want to be party to that. We can drop you off at the next town.” Sara said, turning to talk to Ava directly.  
Ava nodded, smiling properly for the first time since the ordeal began.

“What about our money?” Mick grunted again, standing to his full height. 

“Yeah, Sara, when did you get all righteous?” John snorted.

“We’ve always been righteous, in a sense.” Ray said indignantly, and Nate nodded.

“We steal from people. We kidnapped Ava in the first place.” Zari said, waving her hand vaguely in the direction of the princess. “I wouldn’t exactly call us righteous.”

“Stealing from the rich!” Nate said, but John cut him off.

“Which is what we’re doing when we claim this reward money!”

“I don’t know if you heard me.” Sara said, her voice dangerously quiet. “But I told you we’re letting Ava go. That’s the end of it.”

“Not until I get my money.” Mick stomped forward, Sara’s hand reached instinctively for her sword, and Ava found her voice.

“I can get you money.”

Everyone turned to her.

“Less than my parents are offering – but I can more than fairly recompense you for helping me.”

Mick stopped. “You can?”

Ava nodded. “I know somewhere, up on the mountains – maybe a day’s walk from here?”

“Well, lead the way.” John said, with a sweep of his hand.

Ava got up, hauled her bag onto her back, and prayed to every deity that her book learning was about to come into fruition.

“If she’s lying, I’m going to pull her limb from limb.” Mick said, making no effort to stay quiet, and Ava began to pray a little harder.

///

It had taken them most of the day to find the spot Ava remembered from her history books, and now the group was decidedly wary, especially Mick – Ava was sure if the rest of them weren’t there, he would have thrown her from the mountainside already.

"It's around here somewhere." Ava muttered, acutely aware of the eyes on her as she searched for the mark carved into the rock.

"How come you don't know where your own treasure vault is?" John said, teeth chattering slightly. It was colder up on the mountain; the wind found them easier targets.

"It's not - this isn't the treasure vault. That's under such heavy guard we wouldn't get within four feet of it." Ava said, more focused on the crevices under her fingers, ignoring Mick when he grunted that he could have the whole thing cleaned out before anyone knew they were there. "Ancient kings cashed their treasure all over this mountain, and their stories became myth and legends, and people don't believe in them anymore. But - if you know where to look -" Her fingers caught on a ridge and she pushed, hard.

She stepped back, feeling a little proud when the stone moved, groaning as the ancient pulleys sprang into action and the door opened. No one else stayed to admire her handiwork, except Nate, who slapped her on the back, which Ava assumed was a gesture of thanks. She followed them into the vault, and there was a collective intake of breath.  
The whole place was full to the brim with treasure. Chests were stacked high, open and overflowing, spilling their contents over the cave floor – rubies as big as a fist, mountains of gold coins, cuffs and necklaces studded with gemstones just strewn about, glittering and flashing with light the vault hadn’t seen in hundreds of years. Ava couldn’t help but run her hands over the shining hoard, but the wonder didn’t last. Mick elbowed her out of the way, stuffing his satchel with as much as he could carry. Zari was the same, picking the biggest jewels to fill her bag, whilst Charlie focused on twisting a tiara in the light to see it shine. The boys were pointing at the swords at the back, picking the biggest and yanking them from the wall. 

Ava was more focused on a rather modest bow and arrow – the string long worn away, but the handle was intact, made of beautifully curved and polished wood. It fit perfectly in her hand. She dived forward, before John could use the quiver to hold more coins and snatched it from him, settling it on her back and sliding the arrows into it. She felt a little safer now.

“Cap – should we be going for jewels or jewellery?” Zari said, slightly absent-mindedly, and Ava looked over to Sara. 

She wasn’t stuffing coins into her bag, rather she was preoccupied with a large round disc. She held it up slightly, and Ava could see it had number of symbols carved into the golden rim, with an arrow which spun around the centre, like a compass or a clock with a single hand. John was by her side in a flash.

“What is that?” Charlie said.

“It’s a teleometer.” He breathed.

“What -” Ray started, but John interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

“It’s a way to access the deep magic, the Ancient Ones made them. It’s like a map – but instead of pointing to a specific thing or where you want to go, it points the way to what you truly desire. I’ve never seen one – I thought they’d all been melted down. The Darhk’s had the only known ones destroyed when they came to power.”

“Can you use it?” Sara asked, handing it over, but before his hands closed around it, the compass started to glow, surrounded by golden energy. The Legends held their breath as the handle spun, and Sara brought the compass closer to her chest.

It didn’t stop spinning, and Sara shook it.

“It’s broken -”

“It takes time to master something like that.” John said quietly. “It’s a miracle you can use it at all.”

“Maybe you could use it to find -” Nate started to say, but Sara just shot him with a look that shut him up instantly. Sara dropped the disc into her bag, before bending down to fill the rest of the space with coins and a pearl necklace.

“C’mon, we should get going. I don’t wanna be stuck on this rock when night comes.” She said, and the rest of the group started filling their bags faster.

///

They were scrambling down part of the rockface when Ava found herself next to Nate.

“Where does Sara come from?” She asked, trying to sound nonchalant. 

Nate shrugged. “Not really my place to tell you. Ask her yourself.”

“You think she’d open up to me?” Ava snorted.

“I mean, you did something to persuade her to give up the gold and let you go.” Nate said, with a raised eyebrow. “Maybe she likes you.”

Ava dropped it, slightly more focused on the rockface than she was on gleaning information about Sara. The path was getting narrower and narrower, this wasn’t the way they’d come –

“We’ve gone wrong.” John piped up from the front, and everyone groaned.

“We can’t turn back!” Charlie said, gesturing to the path they’d just come down. “It’ll be dark before we get back to the cave.”

“I’m not spending a night on a mountain.” Zari almost whined. 

“That’s a bridge up ahead, I think.” Ray piped up, and, as the group made their way up to join him, Ava’s eyes widened. There was a bridge, built where the mountain had dropped away. The path beyond it was unusable, and the bridge stretched across a canyon that would probably take them a week to get down safely, if they made it down at all.  
The bridge, however, looked as if it was hanging by a thread. The wooden planks which formed the bottom had partially worn away, as had the rope that held the whole thing together. 

“Is it safe?” She piped up.

“Only one way to know for sure.” Sara said confidently, but Ava didn’t miss the deep breath she took before stepping onto it. As she pulled her other foot from the safety of the mountain, the bridge groaned slightly, but held firm. “We’ll cross one at a time” Sara said, turning slightly. “Wait for my signal, then the next person can go.”

They crossed cautiously, Ava hanging back – she wasn’t afraid of heights, exactly, but she’d never been this high before – not even the Great Tower when she’s gone all the way to the top for Astronomy. Mick grunted that he should go before her, but Ava shook her head. If he could make it across, she’d be fine.

Surprisingly light on his feet for such a huge man, he made it across, then waved his arm. Ava shivered as the wind ruffled the edge of her cloak, and she stepped tentatively onto the first plank.

“Stop looking down!” She heard Zari yell from the other side.

Three planks in, Ava felt she could breathe again, and she sped up, just slightly. She was over halfway when one cracked underneath her and she let out a very un-ladylike squeal, but it held, and she kept going. The second to last plank cracked and splintered, Ava felt her foot drop through, but as she scrambled to hold onto the ropes, a pair of strong arms encased her own and she was pulled up onto the safety of the solid ground.

Ava blinked. She was slumped on top of a rather breathless Sara.

“Thanks.” Ava said, a little breathless herself, from the near-death experience or the sudden contact she didn’t know.

“Anytime, princess.” Sara said, eyes wide, until Ava had enough sense to roll off and land with little grace on her back.

The rest of the team had left, keen to find a covered spot before nightfall, and Sara was up to follow them. She held her hand out and Ava accepted it gratefully, using it to pull herself up.

////

After another night on the forest floor – which had been slightly better now she was no longer tied up and able to lay a little closer to the fire – Ava was feeling distinctly grimy. She hadn’t changed her clothes in days, and her hair was so vile she tried not to think about it.

The rest of the gang seemed to be feeling that way too, and they were mostly silent as they walked, rather aimlessly now, meandering in the direction of the great road. Sara had promised Ava she would be dropped off in the next town, and it was starting to dawn on Ava that she was finally going to have to chart her own course in life.

The sudden shouts distracted Ava from her spiralling thoughts, and she looked down to see the ridge they were walking along had dropped down, in a gentle slope, to the banks of a river. The crystal-clear blue of the water snaked through large rocks, and as they moved further up, Ava could hear a roaring, furious sound. She gasped when she saw the source - a steep cliff with water pouring over the edge, creating a curtain of shimmering light, foaming and churning as it hit the water below. 

She'd read of waterfalls in fairy stories. She was starting to think no story could do the real thing justice.

The rest of the Legends were jumping about in excitement, and Ava noticed, a little late, they were removing boots and socks and cloaks. They all dived in, swimming between the rocks, popping up behind the waterfall and laughing.

"Mick! Get in, you need a bath!" Sara yelled, and when Ava's eyes dropped to her, she almost choked. Sara was naked, stood so Ava could see the rivulets of water as they ran down her breasts and her fantastically toned stomach. She looked away quickly.

"I can't swim." Mick grunted.

"It's only three feet deep, you'll be fine." Nate yelled back, avoiding the spray of water from where Ray was splashing him playfully.

"Ava, you too. If you go another day without washing, I'm not letting you share my blanket anymore." Sara said, her voice light and free as she dropped back down underneath the water.

Ava took a deep breath. Carefully, she undressed, folding her cloak and overdress neatly and setting it on the riverbank, next to her boots and stockings. She considered staying in her underclothes, but she really did smell, and the water looked so inviting -

Off it went, and she was under the water.

She held her breath and opened her eyes. A strange world lay before her. The water was so clear she could see rocks and thin green plants at the bottom, moving like the hair of some underwater goddess, some of which brushed her legs and sent shivers up her back. Beyond was murky, and Ava wished she could swim and explore the depths, but she was feeling a little lightheaded. In a rush of bubbles and a deep breath in, she popped up, pushing her sodden hair from her face and shaking slightly to rid her ears of the sound of the roaring, rushing water.

When she looked up, she noticed Sara was staring at her with a slightly indescribable expression, and Ava realised then, very clearly, that she was also naked.

"Bet this is better than a fancy princess bath." Nate said, shaking his hair like a wet dog, and Ava sunk down slightly, so she was more covered. She had to admit, the cool water felt amazing, especially after a week of sleeping on the dirty ground.

"I miss my fancy soaps." She grumbled, but the rest of the group just laughed.

"I think we lifted some soap from that druid last week -" Charlie said, clambering out of the river, and Ava was a little surprised to see the freckles which covered her nose and collarbones also ran down her spine, as spots would on a deer. Zari seemed to be noticing it too, though she turned away very quickly.

Ava caught the chunk of soap thrown at her, and she was lost under the waterfall, humming happily as she washed the last of the grime and blood from her hair. 

She’d packed a spare dress in her satchel, and was grateful to change into it, before she sat on the riverbank with the others, using the water to clean her clothes. Afterwards, they ventured inland slightly, where they found a little clearing, where they hung the clothes up on trees to dry under the heat of the midday sun.

///

The boys decided to pass the time by playing with their new swords, clashing them happily, acting out over-dramatic battles yet slicing nothing more than the grass and wildflowers of the meadow they found themselves in.

Ava jumped a little when Sara appeared behind her. “I restrung it for you.” She said, holding out her bow, and she nodded in thanks. 

After a couple of goes, Ava was starting to wish she’d spent less time in the library and more time training with the palace guards, engaging in a bit of teenage rebellion. Of the three arrows she’d miraculously managed to get into the air, one had flopped pathetically onto the ground in front of her, one had buried itself in the cloak she’d left on the tree, and another was buried in Mick’s thigh, though he appeared not to have noticed.

“Do you need help?” Sara snorted. Ava turned to see she was leant against a tree, braiding some flowers together into a crown. 

“No.” Ava said, more petulant than necessary. “It’s been a while since I picked up a bow.” She admitted, watching as Sara strolled, almost lazily, over to her.

“Need a refresher, princess?” She said, too close for comfort, and Ava couldn’t help but nod. “You’re standing wrong.” Sara said, hooking her foot around the inside of Ava’s ankle, forcing her into a wider stance. “And you’re too focused on the target. The arrow comes from you; you’re the one you should be focusing on.” Her hands were on her waist as she gently corrected her posture, then they moved to her elbow, supple fingers moving her to extend her arm. “There – now your grip should be – three fingers, there you go. Now, breathe.”

Ava did, barely, she couldn’t think, not when Sara’s breath was hot on her neck. “Let go, princess.”

The arrow sailed through the air and landed with a thunk in the tree Ava had been aiming for.

“Impressive, for your first time.” Sara murmured, her hands still on her waist, and Ava’s arms dropped, but she kept her hands clutched around the bow. Sara’s eyes were as blue as the waterfall, her lashes blonde –

The spell was broken when Mick dropped a slightly bloodied arrow at her feet. “You lose this?” He grunted.

///

They spent the early evening collecting blackberries and wild strawberries from the brambles by the river, and Ava felt rather pleased with herself when she came back with a pot full of them, and her hands pricked from the thorns and stained red with juice. 

“Where’s Sara?” She asked, slumping down, ready to enjoy her berries.

Zari shrugged. “She said she was collecting sticks.”

“I’ll go get her.” She said, hauling herself to her feet. “Or Mick will have eaten everything before she gets back.”

Seeing as Mick already had his whole hand in the pot, Zari nodded.

Ava found Sara in a clearing, leant against a tree, a small bundle of sticks scattered beside her. 

“If you want anything to eat, you better come now -” She started, then stopped. Sara looked up at her, and it almost looked as if she’d been crying. Ava noticed then she was holding the compass and was focused on twisting the little dials on the side.

Sara ignored her. “Do you know how this works?” She said, throwing the compass down. Ava sat next to her and picked it up.

“I’ve only heard rumours. I think you have to – ask it a question. Or have a question almost suspended in your mind, like a drop of water. Then the arm turns and gives you an answer.” Ava said, handing it back. “The users of the old magic used it to search for buried treasure, or to find what was lost.”

Sara snorted.

“What are you looking for?” Ava asked, then immediately regretted it. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry -”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Sara muttered. 

They sat side by side in the evening light, the berries long forgotten.

“I’m Sara Lance.” She said quietly, and it took a minute for Ava to catch on.

“Oh – oh!” Ava said, eyes wide. 

“That took you a really long time to figure out.” Sara said quietly, smiling a little.

“They said you were dead.” Ava said, slightly in awe. 

The story went that when Darhk had stormed Star City, he’d killed King Lance and his two young daughters, Sara and Laurel, before taking the throne for himself, but Ava had only ever though of it as a story.

“What happened?” She asked. “I mean – how did you make it out alive?”

“Our tutor, Professor Stein - he helped us. Saddled up horses and snuck us out through a back gate.” Sara said, a strange, far-away look in her eyes. “We rode out through the woods. The whole city was on fire, and the forest was crawling with guards. I don’t know what happened, but we got separated and I hit my head. I nearly died. John – John brought me back.”

“John?” Ava said.

“Yeah.” Sara said. “But he was young, and it didn’t – didn’t work. For a year I wasn’t really … myself. I hurt a lot of people.”

“Sara, I -” Ava started, then shut her mouth.

“Oh, you’re finally speechless.” Sara said, a smile forming at the edge of her lips. 

And Laurel?” Ava asked, then immediately regretted it, as the smile dropped from her face immediately. 

“I don’t know.” Sara said quietly. “But – I never stopped looking. I’m still looking.”

“Do the others know who you are?” Ava asked, and Sara just nodded quietly.

Ava didn’t have anything to say, so she just reached over and squeezed her arm, and sat there in the quiet of the evening.

“What’s ticking?” Ava said suddenly, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. It sounded almost mechanical, but there was nothing mechanical out here.  
Then, in utter disbelief, Sara held up the compass, which was moving.

They both got up and ran back to the camp, the sticks forgotten. The group looked up at them as they came, surprised at how quickly they were moving. Sara waved her hand.

“It moved.” Sara breathed, and everyone crowded round, looking at the compass held in her palms. “I was just thinking about Laurel, and it moved. It went – look.” She said again, eyes wide with excitement, as the arm turned – first to the baby, then to the castle, then to the half-sun, then back again, then again. The group was quiet.

“You don’t think -” John said, slightly breathless, and Sara nodded.

“It’s Laurel – the baby and the castle, that must mean her. Then the sunset – three times – could that be – go west? Go west for three days? What’s west of here?”  
“Star City.” Zari breathed, and the group was silent.

“She’s there?” Sara said, voice shaking.

“We’ll never get in.” Nate said. “The place is a fortress, and we’re not exactly subtle.”

“I think I know someone who can help.” Zari said.

“Who?” grunted Mick, and Zari looked up, looking almost nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me, stealing from every fantasy book from my childhood? its more likely than you think!!
> 
> also no prizes for guessing who zari's gonna take them to see :)


	3. every version of me dead and buried in the yard outside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> forgot to say but the title / chapter titles are lyrics from hozier's jackie and wilson

They awoke early, thanks in large part to the electric excitement that had settled over them all, even Ava, who’d only learnt about Sara’s missing sister twelve hours previously. They packed up quickly and left just as the dawn awoke the woodland. Zari led the way this time, and they made their way through the woods, which seemed rather calm in contrast with their quickened pace. Ava watched, fascinated, as the sky melted from pinks and pale oranges into a white-blue, then into the deep blue of summer she’d come to recognise. It was hotter now, especially when they reached the edge of the woodland, and the horizon flattened out into thick, wispy grassland.

Ava unclasped her cloak and carried it, and she noticed several of the group to the same. 

She was almost skipping, and failed to notice the rest of the group had stopped -

“Wait – Ava!” Sara’s shout came as the ground suddenly fell away beneath her, Ava screamed, but a hand wrapped around her wrist and she was pulled back, straight into Sara’s arms.

“Thanks.” Ava muttered.

“Anytime, princess. I think that makes it – two? Three times I’ve saved your life now?” Sara said with a smirk, and Ava just rolled her eyes.

“Oh, not like you’re keeping count or anything.”

Sara just shrugged, and they broke apart, then looked over to where the rest of the team had gathered. They made their way over slowly, as Zari stretched her arm out. Beyond the thicket was a steep cliff, the one Ava had almost fallen down, with a strip of sand laying at the bottom of a twenty-foot drop.

Ava wasn’t looking at that. She was looking at the sea beyond. If the river had been big, the sea was endless, stretching as far as the eye could see and further still, fading into the sky at the horizon, a clear and gentle blue. Her eyeline followed Zari’s arm as she gestured to the curve of the bay, where, in the safety of the inlet, a town was huddled, a mish mash of white-washed buildings, connected by alleyways and colourful canopies. Wooden structures jutted out from the shoreline, where at least three huge ships bobbed up and down in the water, their great wooden hulls dipping slightly as the gentle waves came up to greet them. Two had their sails tied up, but one was a hive of activity as people scurried about the deck, unloading cargo and tying up the great canvas sails with ropes that looked no bigger than a thread.

“This is where I’m from.” Zari said, slightly wistfully. “The ships, I mean. The town is named Salvation.”

They made their way forward, towards a set of steps that had been roughly hewn into the cliff-face, and Ava heard John snort.

“Salvation? That’s appropriate.”

“Not all of us need saving.” Sara said, rather bluntly.

“It couldn’t hurt.” Charlie said, almost wistfully. 

“What’s the plan, Cap?” Nate called up– he’d raced ahead and was now stood at the bottom.

“We go see my brother.” Zari said and a small, almost nervous smile spread over her face as she led the way down the slope.

///

Ava was enthralled. The port was bustling, with pirates and their lackeys loading and unloading boxes from the ships, and locals from the town milling around and hawking their wares, carrying trays with salted herrings, jellied eels, fried fish and, of course, beer. She passed by a man selling ice cream and was almost tempted to stop Sara and ask her to buy her one, but they were moving rather purposefully through the crowds. Zari was leading them towards the largest ship of all, which had a dark brown hull, with huge sails that may have once been white. At the top of a mast flew a flag with an insignia Ava recognised – a red circle surrounded by a golden one, and she gasped.  
It was the air totem – the mythical magical jewel that had been lost for centuries, but was the symbol of the Tarazi family, the de-facto leaders of the pirates, who controlled all the shipping routes from the barges of the northern rivers to the great southern seas. 

“You’re a Tarazi?” Ava said, maybe a little too loudly, as Zari rounded on her and held up a finger.

“Yes. Shut up.”

“Does that make her a princess?” Nate said, in hushed tones.

“Another one?” Ray said, rather forlorn.

“I’m not a princess, if that makes you feel better big man.” John said, and Ray nodded.

“I am.” Mick grunted, and everyone turned to look at him. “We’re here.” He said, pointing at the ship they were now stood in front of.

Zari turned to them, as if to say something, but she was stopped by a shout from the ship.

“Zari?”

Ava looked up to see a young man with thick, bouncing black hair swinging down from the ladder onto the wooden deck, and enveloping Zari in a tight hug. He moved back, holding her out to look her up and down, still beaming. Zari looked a little awkward and had coloured pink.

“Hey, B.”

“It’s been … five years.” He said, slightly shell-shocked, and then grinned, pulling her back in for another hug. The rest of them stood around, slightly awkwardly, until they broke apart. “Who are they?” He said nodding over towards them, and Zari looked over.

“They’re my friends.” She said, with a soft smile. “Guys, this is Behrad. My little brother.”

Behrad beamed at them, and Ava was pretty sure everyone swooned just a little. “Well, come aboard! Any friends of my sister are friends of mine.”

///

Ava was fascinated with the ship – the way it bobbed slightly, the way no one on board batted an eye as they moved across the deck and clambered down a trap door. It smelt rather damp and slightly fishy beneath the deck, with barrels and crates piled up against the walls, and hammocks tied up and hung from the ceiling. Oil lamps gave the place a warm glow. Behrad opened the door at the back, ushering them into to a rather plush set of living quarters. Large panes of thick, bubbled glass set into the wall at the back allowed Ava to see out onto the lapping seas. The room was furnished with a four-poster bed, a desk, even a piano, but was fantastically messy, with clothes and rubbish strewn about the floor, some of which Behrad was trying to kick under the bed.

Zari was unimpressed, crossing her arms.

“She was in much better shape when she was mine.” She said quietly, slumping down on the couch, and the rest of them followed suit, perching on chairs and footstools.

“Wait – this ship used to be yours?” Charlie said, almost in disbelief, and Zari shrugged. “What happened?”

Zari and Behrad exchanged looks. “Where are Maman and Baba?” Zari asked, ignoring the question.

“Charting up to the Great White Waste.” Behrad said.

“There? We never go up there -” Zari started, but her brother interrupted her.

“It’s Darhk - he’s getting even stricter about what he lets into Star City. He’s been exploiting the pirate’s association with magic, and now half the road won’t trade with us, and the other half won’t give us a fair price. Then there’s all these ridiculous tariffs -” He sighed. 

“That’s actually why we came.” Sara said, a little tentative, but still with the same confidence she always carried herself with. “We need your help to sneak into Star City.”

Behrad sat forward, intrigued. “Why?”

“As a favour to me.” Zari said quickly. “I mean, you obviously owe me -”

Behrad sighed, and the room was awfully tense. “Look, Z, I said I was sorry. Or I was going to say I was sorry, but then you ran off -”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it!” Zari hissed. “These ships should have been mine and you know it.”

“It was Maman and Baba who chose me, I didn’t get a say.” Behrad said, voice rising.

“You didn’t object, either -”

“I did! I said you deserved it, but they wanted to follow tradition!” Behrad said.

“It’s the eldest child who inherits.” Zari said, her eyes fierce.

“Eldest male child.” Behrad said quietly. “And I promise you, I did say something. I mean – you charted the Casterborous strait in eight days when you were 15. Of course you deserved this.” There was silence, and Behrad, sensing his opportunity, pressed on. “Z – I was going to change things when they retired and left me everything, I promise you.”

Zari looked up, and smiled at him, and Behrad beamed back. 

“So you’ll help us?” She asked, and Behrad nodded. 

“I can sort something – but first, I need to hear about where you’ve been -”

///

Behrad told them he couldn’t help them until the morning, but they were welcome to say on the ship until them. The team broke up, with Mick and John going ashore – John as he needed spell ingredients and Mick because he hadn’t had any beer for the whole day, and it was making him cranky.

The rest of them decided to sit on the sun warmed deck, enjoying the movement of the sea, and laughing as they watched Ray and Nate climb the ropes attached to the mast, racing each-other.

“I can get up there quicker than you wankers!” Charlie shouted, running forwards and swinging herself up onto the mast, which Ava laughed at.

“The missing princess? They’re saying she’s the one from the stories.” Behrad said, slightly conspiratorially, and Ava sat up, eavesdropping a little.

“What story?” Zari snorted.

“The one Maman used to tell us – the baby born of the flower’s fire. Don’t you remember?”

Their bickering was lost on Ava, but she felt Sara’s eyes on her, drilling into her as if they could see her soul.

“No, it’s the one where the King and Queen couldn’t have a child. A wise man came forward, with a flower, and miraculously, she was able to have a baby – a girl with golden hair. The wise man then revealed himself to be a wizard, and rather than reveal to the world they’d had a baby through magic, they sealed the kingdom and locked themselves away in those high walls.”

“That’s just a fairy story.” Zari said, a little stiffly. Ava noticed how Sara wasn’t looking at her anymore. “You can’t – you can’t be born of magic, it’s not possible.”

“Who knows what is possible? Either way, the girl is valuable. Her family have offered ten thousand gold for her safe return. Every trader and bounty hunter in the Kingdom is looking for her.” Behrad shrugged. “But that’s something for tomorrow. Tonight, I wanna tell everyone my sister’s back!” He pulled Zari up like an over exuberant puppy, almost dragging her along to where the rest of his crew were sat.

Ava sat, frozen. Something touched her arm and she flinched.

“It’s just a story.” Sara murmured, trying not to make a scene. “Just a fairy story. Zari’s right, no one’s born of magic. It’s unheard of.”

“Then explain why my parents could never look at me.” Ava whispered, tears on her cheeks. “They never – they never looked at me. They treated me like a stranger. They hate magic, Sara, they hated me. I was their greatest fear.”

The sun wasn’t so warm now. It had flickered into the evening, and Ava shuddered at the sudden change. She wiped her eyes quickly.

“Ava, that’s not true.” Sara said, brushing the hair from her face, but Ava was too far gone.

“I’m not even – oh god, Sara, I’m not even a person. I’m not real, I was never real -”

“You’re so real, Ava, so real. Look at me.” Ava turned, and Sara’s blue eyes stared back at her. “That may be where you came from, but it is not who you are. You’re real.” Sara smiled at her; Ava was transfixed. “And – and if the story is true, Ava you’re a miracle.”

Ava snorted with laughter, it shook more tears from her eyes, but she felt she could breathe again. “I don’t think anyone’s called me that before.”

“It’s true! Your parents couldn’t see it, but I – we can. You’re a miracle.” Sara said, smiling properly now. “Maybe it’s all true. You do have golden hair.” She murmured, almost to herself, tucking another strand behind her ear.

Ava could have kissed her then, but Sara seemed to realise how close they were, and she turned back to watching the boys climb the ladders and ropes, which Charlie beating them every time.

///

Dinner was a spicy sort of soup - Ava didn’t know what was in it and was a little afraid to ask, but it was delicious and warmed her up from the inside, so she was grateful. She’d just finished helping to wash the last of the bowls when she heard the slightly muted melody of a fiddle and the low bass of a drum from above deck. 

She put her rag down carefully and climbed the ladder, only to see the deck lit by candles and a makeshift dance happening in the middle, with both pirates and her friends involved. Only Sara and John were sat at the side - Mick was too, but he seemed to have been roped in to play the drum and looked almost as if he was having fun.  
The dance wasn't complicated, and Ava had picked it up after a few minutes - the group moved as a circle before breaking off into pairs, twisting around together until the circle was reformed.

"Captain!" yelled Zari, face flushed and eyes sparkling, as she motioned for her to join in, before turning back to Charlie, and their eyes were only for each-other again.

Sara turned instead to Ava, who’d gone to sit beside them.

"It needs an even number." She said with her lopsided smile, holding out her hand. 

Ava looked over at John, who just laughed and took a swig from his flask.

“I don’t dance, love.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Ava took her hand, and soon she was spinning in the dance, laughing and swirling. She danced with Ray, then Nate, then a few of the others until she found herself in Sara's arms again. She laughed, warm and light, looking up at the sail and the sparkling stars visible behind it.

They slept in hammocks that night, rocked by the waves and the wind, and Ava dreamt of pretty girls with strong arms and sweet smiles.

///

Ava awoke late, no doubt from getting to sleep in a semi-normal bed for the first time in a week, and by the time she was up and ready, the rest of the team had gone back to dry land. Behrad had arranged a cart and two horses, so they could disguise themselves as fabric merchants. The cart seemed sturdy, with space for two to ride up front, and just enough space inside, between the bolts of fabric, for the rest of them to huddle. They were shielded from view and the elements by wooden walls and a heavy fabric awning, held in place with huge nails. They’d exchanged most of their jewels for the cart, as well as some forged papers and a nice heavy purse of gold, along with a few extra gifts to Behrad for helping them, which Sara insist he take.

He'd hugged them all goodbye, even Ava, who reacted to the hug by going completely stiff and generally being very awkward about the whole thing. At last he came to Zari, and after hugging her, clapped her on the shoulders.

“Promise me you’ll come back soon?”

Zari nodded with a grin. “I promise.”

“Then maybe you can tell me why you need to sneak into Star City so desperately.” He said with a raised eyebrow, but left it at that, waving them off.

After a short argument, it was agreed Zari, Ray and Nate should ride upfront, and John and Mick sit on the back, as Mick was a little too big to fit inside comfortably, and John hated being in close proximity with anyone. As soon as they were situated, Charlie sprawled herself out over the fabric and immediately fell asleep. Ava was pretty sure she’d stayed up most the night dancing with the pirates, and it was catching up to her. She’d put her hat over her eyes and was snoring loudly.

“How long ‘til we get to Star City?” Ava said, just to break the silence, and Sara shrugged.

“A day? Maybe two? Once we reach the road we’ll find somewhere to stop for the night.” Sara said, yawning. “I hate hammocks. And boats.” She grumbled.

“It was better than the forest floor.” Ava said, and Sara snorted.

“Really? All that up and down just makes me feel sick.”

“I’ve never been on a boat before.” Ava said quietly. “I liked it.”

They sat in silence for a bit, Sara leaning against Ava’s shoulder.

“How can she sleep? It’s far too bumpy.” Ava muttered, gesturing at Charlie, and she felt Sara shrug next to her.

“That’s the pirate rum for you – puts you right out.” Sara said. “And she didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” At Ava’s confused noise, she elaborated, her tone conspiratorial. “I think Charlie slept with Behrad.” 

Ava’s eyes widened. “No, really? Zari’s brother? How can you tell?” 

“Because they were in the hammock next to mine.” Sara said, and Ava spluttered out a laugh, half scandalised, half intrigued. “Nah, I just saw her go into his quarters last night.”

“I thought she liked – I mean it’s obvious she likes Z, right?” Ava whispered.

“You guys are arseholes.” Charlie muttered, and pushed the hat from her eyes, sitting up blearily. “And you’re shit at whispering.”

“Well? How was it?” Sara said, unfazed, and Charlie shrugged.

“I mean … fine, I guess. Not really my type.”

“What, tall, dark and handsome? Isn’t he everyone’s type?” Sara said with a snort, and Ava grew suddenly hot. Charlie just shrugged again, rubbing her head.

“Can you just shut up and let me sleep?” She groaned, laying back down, but turning away from them this time. It wasn’t long before Sara too had fallen asleep, her cheek pressed into Ava’s arm, and their hands tangled together.

It was a few hours later when they stopped, and Ava gently shook Sara awake so they could stretch their legs and run into the woods to use the bathroom. The road was less of a dirt track now, but was still relatively quiet, and hemmed in by woodland on all sides.

They set off again, before realising they’d left Nate behind, who was running behind the cart, trying to pull up his trousers and wave to get their attention at the same time. 

/// 

It was dark when they finally stopped, and they were all exhausted and stiff from sitting for so long, so Nate traded a bundle of silk for some rooms for the night and a hot meal, which Ava was grateful for. The tavern was simple, with a charmingly lopsided appearance, inside and out. They made their way towards an empty booth, not too far from the huge stone fireplace at the back, which was casting light and warmth across the patrons of the inn.

The landlady came over, laden with plates, which she passed out deftly. Dinner was a pot-bellied pie with thick, golden pastry that was steaming slightly, along with a helping of slightly grey and lumpy mashed potato, and a serving of some limp green vegetables. 

Ava inhaled the whole thing in five minutes, washing it down with beer.

When she set her cup back down, everyone was looking at her.

“You were hungry.” John snorted, and Ava flushed pink.

“It’s been a long day.” She huffed, and the group laughed, and went back to talking about not much in particular and drinking their beer.

Three rounds later, Ava wasn’t sure if it was the beer or the ache in her bones that was making her so lightheaded. She offered to get them all drinks, to stretch her legs, and made her way across the crowded room to the bar, pushing her way through the old men with thick, wiry beards, sitting alone, and the brash traders catching up with their equally loud friends.

“Uh – two double measures of rum, fives beers and a water please.” Ava said, handing the landlady a handful of coins. She huffed, then loaded the drinks onto a roughly hewn wooden tray.

“Oi, you!” 

A shout came from across the tavern, and Ava stiffened. Her freedom wouldn’t do her much good if another group of bandits kidnapped her –

“Yeah, you. Any of those for us?” A man in the corner yelled. Ava just ducked her head and made her way back to their table, but before she was halfway there, the man had moved forward and grasped her forearm. His grip was rough, and Ava almost gagged when she looked up. He was grinning, but most of his teeth were black, and his breath smelt like a dead badger. “I was askin’ you a question, lady.”

Ava muttered something that might have been an excuse, but it fell on deaf ears, and the man gripped her tighter. “You here with anyone?”

“She’s with me.”

Ava looked up, and Sara was there, expression furious.

The man laughed, no doubt because Sara was at least a foot and a half shorter than him. “Oh, really? Maybe she needs me to show her what a real man can do -”

He didn’t get to say the rest, as Sara had lunged forward, pushing Ava out of his grip and forcing her knee into his groin, so hard his eyes bulged from his head and all the air left his body. Ava stumbled backwards, the drinks falling to the floor, and just watched as Sara stood over the man, who was now bent forward, gasping. She turned to her friends, who were all hollering and cheering for her, then turned around and planted her elbow in his back, so he tipped onto his knees, wheezing. The rest of his posse had got up and were approaching Sara menacingly. The others got up to help, but she waved them away.

The whole bar was watching them now, as one of the men lunged forwards. Sara dispatched him with a swift punch and a kick, and the same fate was afforded to the next one who came forward. The third one was bigger, and was holding an oil lamp from the table, which he smashed against Sara’s approaching fist. Ava winced but Sara seemed unfazed and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, pulling him down so his head hit the nearby table with a smack. He bounced, really bounced, then lay unconscious, slumped half on the table, half on the floor. Sara threw her arms up and was met by cheers.

Ava got her breath back, stomped towards Sara, avoiding the men groaning on the floor, and pulled her upstairs to their room.

///

“That was so stupid!” Ava said, pulling Sara down onto the bed and reaching into her bag where she knew she kept the bandages. 

“I don’t need that, Aves, I’m fine.” Sara whined slightly, pulling her hand back, but Ava held it firmly in her own. There was no more arguing, and Sara sat still and quiet as Ava got a bowl of water and used a cloth to gently sponge away the blood.

They didn’t speak.

“Are you mad?” Sara said.

“Why would I be mad?” Ava muttered, her tone clearly that of someone who was, indeed, mad.

“I was protecting you.” Sara said, wincing as the cloth dragged over her knuckles.

“No, you were showing off. You didn’t need to take on all of them.” Ava sighed. She was tired, and something from looking at Sara’s bloodied fists made her want to cry.  
“I’m sorry.” Sara said, and Ava looked up. Her eyes were clear; she was telling the truth.

Ava nodded, still trying to push down the tumult of emotions in her stomach, and there was silence for a while. “It might leave a scar.” She said quietly, gently manipulating one particularly large cut on her pinkie knuckle. Sara shrugged.

“I’ve got lots of scars. It’s fine.”

“So full of mystery.” Ava hummed, more focused on wrapping the cloth around her hand, tying it carefully. “Now, the other one.”

“Ava, seriously -”

Ava looked up with a raised eyebrow, and Sara presented her hand without complaint. “Sara! There’s still glass in this hand!”

“I was gonna pick it out later.” Sara huffed. “Maybe after another rum -”

“You’ve had quite enough rum for one night.” Ava said, tutting gently, as her fingers worked to pull the largest pieces of glass from her palm. Sara winced, and Ava couldn’t help but run her thumb along the uninjured skin next to the cut. “Sorry, princess.”

“You can’t call me that!” Sara said, eyebrows knitting together, and Ava turned her hand to focus on her knuckles.

“Oh, are you upset the tables have turned?” Sara just huffed, then winced as the warm water splashed across her sensitive skin. “Besides, you’re the princess now.” Ava hummed. “I guess – after all this, I’ll write to my parents, officially revoke my title.”

“You’re going to give it all up?” Sara said, concern in her tone, and Ava nodded.

“I can’t go back. I don’t want to. There’s a whole world out here; I want to stay.”

“With us?” Sara said in a half whisper, and Ava didn’t miss the way the ‘us’ sounded a lot like ‘me.’

She nodded, and their eyes met, just for a moment.

Ava broke the spell; she looked down and tied the second bandage.

“There. It should look better in the morning.” She said, and Sara nodded.

“Thanks.” She muttered. “Are you still okay with me staying in here tonight?”

“I don’t think you want to go in with Charlie and Zari, they’ve got some … issues to work out. And I’m not sure there’s any more room in the boy’s bed.”

Sara snorted. “Yeah, Ray was so excited about that sleepover. I could go in the cart with Mick?”

Ava couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, well if you chose that over me, I’d be a little offended.”

They got ready for bed in comfortable silence, and Ava was in bed, reading by the light of the one candle they had paid for, when she felt Sara sneak in next to her.

“Would you like me to stop?” Ava whispered.

“I’m fine.” Sara yawned. “I’ve slept in the forest for twelve years; I can handle it.”

Ava blew it out anyway and set her book on the floor, humming slightly at the feeling of the lumpy mattress and soft eiderdown, even though it smelt a little of sour milk. It wasn’t a patch on her bed back home, but she didn’t miss it, not if Sara was next to her.

“Thank you.” Ava whispered into the darkness, and Sara hummed sleepily.

“What?”

“Thank you. For protecting me.”

There was silence. “Anytime, princess.” Sara said softly. 

Ava thought that maybe, in the warmth of the tavern, they didn’t need to be curled together quite so closely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by she ra as everyones actually a princess lol
> 
> dunno if this needs to be said but this is zari 1. can’t be an influncer in like the 1500s i’m sorry.


	4. we tried the world; good god, it wasn't for us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we've gone from only one blanket to only one bed and thats a glow up tbh
> 
> also this is a Rollercoaster ride tbh

In the morning, the landlady refused to give them the breakfast she’d promised due to the broken lamp and split table, along with all the blood she’d had to clean off the floor, so they made their way across the street and bought bread, ham and boiled eggs from a trader. They ate as the cart trundled up the road, this time with Nate and Ray at the helm and the rest of them inside, making it more crowded and uncomfortably warm.

Ava longed to peek out of the cart, but she knew the closer they got to the city, the more guards there would be patrolling the road, and she wouldn’t risk exposing them all just so she could catch a glimpse of the city she’d only read about in books.

“What’s it like? Star City?” Ava asked, and Sara smiled quietly to herself.

“You’ve never seen anything like it – they built the castle on the cliff, and into it – it looks like it grew there. Then the town grew up around the bottom, around the great river and across it. Then they built the aqueduct to carry water up to the castle.” Sara stopped, a faraway look in her eyes. “It’s magnificent.”

They sat quietly, conversation stilted, all a little apprehensive at what could await them in Star City.

“How are your hands?” Ava said quietly, and Sara held them out. Unwinding the bandages, the cuts had scabbed, angry and pink, but no longer bleeding. Sara flexed her fingers experimentally and smiled at Ava. “How are you feeling?” Ava asked, and they both knew she wasn’t talking about her hands anymore.

“It’s been so long – do you think she’ll even recognise me? Will I recognise her?” She said quietly, looking up at Ava.

Ava reached over to still her restless hands with her own. Sara looked up, and they shared a smile in the semi-darkness of the cart. “You’ll know her. It’s not something you’d ever forget.”

They shared a smile, and the cart lapsed back into silence. As they travelled, the sounds of horse’s hooves clattering along the road grew louder, then came the sounds of shouting, then they trundled to a slow stop. She could just hear Ray and Nate through the wooden slats.

“What’s the hold up?” Nate said loudly. “We’ve gotta get these silks in before sundown.”

“Yeah, what’s the hold up?” Ray said, much less convincingly, and Ava wondered if he’d ever lied in his life. There were some more shouts, then they got going again.

Nate carefully parked the cart in an alley, and as he haggled with a nearby store holder for a fair price, Ava stepped over the silks and satins and climbed out carefully.

The whole town seemed abuzz with activity. Colourful canopies of purple, white and yellow had been set up and strung between buildings, along with flags imprinted with simple designs of suns and moons that hung from every window.

“No wonder they just waved us through.” Ray said quietly, and everyone turned to look at him. “The city – every year, they have a festival – officially it’s to celebrate the summer solstice, but everyone knows – it’s to remember the lost princesses.” He pointed to the colours above them. “Purple for Laurel, yellow for Sara and white – for the hope that they’ll return. Tonight, they’ll be a lantern flight, the whole city will be out to see it.”

Sara’s expression didn’t change, but Ava squeezed the hand that she slipped into hers.

“Right, well – we should stay low, enjoy the festival, keep a look out. If we split up, we can cover more ground.” Sara said. It seemed to be dawning on them all that they didn’t really know what they were doing, and they were searching for the proverbial needle. “We’ll meet back here when it gets dark.”

Nate came back then, grinning as he waved the purse of coins. Sara flicked her fingers and he threw her the bag, which she caught easily. After distributing the coins among them, they all went their separate ways, except Mick, who’d decided to stay with the cart and look after the horses, but not before buying himself half a barrel of beer to keep himself occupied.

“Are you okay?” Ava asked quietly, noticing Sara hadn’t said a word since they’d left the others, and her hand was hot in hers. 

Sara just nodded. “It’s – uh – I haven’t been here since I was 13. It’s just -” She said, then shrugged. 

Ava understood; sometimes there weren’t words big enough. 

They’d made their way through the twisting alleys until they reached the great city square, which was packed, stalls so close she could hardly move, and they seemed to sell everything – cones of brightly coloured spices, mechanical toys, huge woollen carpets, and of course, clothes, shoes, and all the kinds of food Ava could imagine. It was a little overwhelming, especially when combined with the heat of the summer sun and the throng of city dwellers walking about. Ava’s heart sunk; there was no way they would find Laurel in this.

“You should buy some.” Sara said, changing the subject, and Ava looked towards where she was pointing.

“Trousers?”

“You’re a little conspicuous on all your fine velvet.” Sara said with a grin, and Ava blushed a little.

“I’ve never worn them before.” Ava said, almost embarrassed.

“All the more reason to.” Sara said, letting go of her hand to move towards the merchant. After a minute of discussion, Sara dropped some coins into his palm, turned, and handed Ava the trousers, along with a stiff linen shirt.

“C’mon, you can change in the alley.”

Ava nodded, and they found themselves in a deserted side street, blocked at one end with a high wall. Ava took off her cloak and handed it to Sara, who spread it out, so as to cover Ava from any prying eyes. 

“No peeking.” Ava muttered, before unlacing her dress, then shimmying out of it.

“Fine.” Sara said, with a rather put-upon sigh, and Ava couldn’t help but laugh. Within two minutes, the shirt was over her head, and the trousers were on, and she had them buttoned up.

It felt strange, yet oddly not strange at all. 

“Does it look okay?” Ava asked, and looked up to see Sara looking at her, expression soft and indescribable. 

“Yeah – uh, yeah, you look good. Here.” She said, holding the cloak up, then wrapping it around her shoulders, slotting the clasp into place. “You wanna explore a little more?” Sara said, looking up at her through her lashes, and Ava nodded, slotting their hands back together like they belonged together.

///

They wandered around, but Laurel was nowhere in sight. They found themselves on the riverbank, as it began to grow dark, and they just sat on a low wall, watching as the townsfolk readied their boats and lanterns. They unfurled sails, untethered them from the jetties and lit candles, setting them adrift in the lake, in small flower-shaped paper cups. Sara had bought a bag of sugared dough, and she held it out to her.

“Thanks.” Ava said, looking out onto the water as she popped the treat into her mouth. “I was wondering – why yellow?”

“Hmm?”

“Ray said Laurel was purple, you were yellow.”

“Oh.” Sara said, ducking her head slightly. “Purple is the royal colour; it’s given to all the first-borns. Anytime we were out in public, Laurel would be in purple. They didn’t want me to look too similar, so I was in yellow. I hated it – Laurel used to tease me, said I looked like a little canary.”

“That’s sweet.” Ava said quietly, but Sara wasn’t listening anymore. The boats were making their way out into the centre of the lake, laden down with the flickering lanterns which cast the whole scene in a golden glow. Ava could see the faces of the children all along the bank, lit by their own lanterns or candles, some also clutching purple and yellow flowers.

Just as the last of the sun dipped below the horizon, the lanterns were released. No applause accompanied them, only hushed gasps and whispers. Ava held her breath. The lanterns twisted and swirled, filling the sky, some flying higher than others, casting the city in flickering light.

Ava was sure she’d never seen anything so beautiful; she turned to Sara. Her face was lit by the glow, her mouth slightly open, the tears on her cheeks glinting in the flickering candlelight. 

Ava turned away. The tears weren’t for her.

“We should go, they’ll be waiting for us.” Sara said quietly, turning and hopping down from the wall, not meeting her eye, but before she made her way through the crowd, she took Ava’s hand again.

///

When they got back to the cart, there was a muffled commotion. 

“What the -” Sara hissed, and Ava realised Ray and Nate were holding a young woman by her arms, John standing next to them, muttering spells. For a split second, Ava thought they might have found her, but Sara didn’t seem pleased.

“Why the fuck are you holding Nora Darhk.” Sara said, her voice low and dangerous. “This isn’t what we came for-”

“She could have information on Laurel.” John said, shaking with exertion, and Ava realised that Nora was whispering too, her eyes flashing. If the stories of her magical prowess were true, it must be taking John everything he had to hold her there.

“If not, we could trade her for Damien.” Nate said, struggling too. 

“How did you even find her?” Sara hissed again.

“We – uh – got talking.” Ray said quietly, and Ava noticed he was rather pale.

Sara pulled out the compass and shook it, but it wasn’t moving, instead just pointing forwards. She turned slightly, and Ava realised it wasn’t pointing forwards, but following Nora. Sara stuffed it back in her bag, just as a rather ruffled Zari and Charlie appeared.

“Put her in the cart.” Sara said, voice dangerously low.

“You can’t -” Nora started, but Mick picked her up by the back of her dress, and threw her into the cart, then followed her in.

“Tie her up.” Sara said, handing the boys a rope, ignoring the way that Nora was cursing at them, and the gestured that the rest get in too. “I’m driving.”

Ava got up to the front and hauled herself onto the little perch, just as Sara cracked the ropes, causing the horses to gallop along the empty cobbled streets.

The guards pushed the gate open before they even got close enough to speak to them, evidently more interested with what was going in than coming out, and they were off, galloping down the dirt road with the lights of the festival growing smaller and smaller in the distance behind them.

///

Sara pulled up, then jumped down and opened the doors of the cart.

“Mick, bring her. Two of you bring the horses.” She said, her sentences short, her frame tense. For the first time since they’d met, Ava was a little afraid of her. 

Nora’s hands were tied in front of her, a strip of cloth in her mouth, undoubtedly the only thing stopping her from uttering spells that would have them all dead within a minute. 

Sara led the way through the woods, taking them far enough away from the road that they wouldn’t be seen. She stopped, and they all stopped too, waiting.

“John, you can do that truth spell, can’t you?”

John nodded, and Sara just turned, a small dagger in hand, and reached forward, slicing the cloth and pulling it from Nora’s lips.

“You’re gonna regret this.” Nora hissed, then groaned.

“Tell me what you know about Laurel.” Sara said quietly, as John started muttering.

Nora’s knuckles were white as she struggled against the ropes.

“Tell me!” Sara growled, and something flashed behind her eyes.

John twisted his arm and Nora dropped to her knees; Ava saw Ray step forward, but she was too focused on Nora to take much notice. She was panting heavily, then she looked up, and Ava could see she was crying. She looked less like a bound witch and more like a frightened child.

“She’s dead. My father – he sent a party to look for you, and they brought her back. I saw her coming through the back gates on the back of Merlyn’s horse. She had an arrow in her chest – and her dress -” Nora sobbed, from the memory or John’s magic Ava didn’t know, but she gritted her teeth and kept talking. “- it must have been blue, once, but there was so much blood. They took her to my father, they said they’d killed you both, but they couldn’t find your body in the darkness. He sent them back the next morning, every morning for a week, to find you – we just assumed you’d been torn apart by wolves.” 

Nora’s face contorted in pain, and Ray stepped forward. “Enough!” He said loudly, but Sara ignored him. John loosened his fist, and Nora stood up, still shaking.

“Sara, I’m so sorry. Laurel died the same night as your father, the night the castle burnt. She never stood a chance.”

“Liar!” Sara’s voice ripped through the trees. “You’re lying; you’re no different from your father, and you’ll die like he will!”

“Sara, she can’t be lying. The magic -” John said, his voice measured, but Ava noted the edge of fear. 

Sara launched herself forward, a guttural scream coming from somewhere deep within her.

“Mick – grab her.” Ava yelled, and he did, throwing the captain over his shoulder. She continued to struggle, but Mick stopped, and they all did –

There were horses’ hooves, clattering towards them, in the distance but getting closer.

“My father’s guards.” Nora said, but rather than sounding relieved, she sounded terrified.

“We need to go, now.” Ava yelled, but the guards were almost on top of them, and Sara had contorted herself out of Mick’s grip and taken off through the dense woodland.

///

Ava ran through the woodland, praying she was following where Sara was going, but it was hard to see in the underbrush –  
There was a shape, up ahead.

“Sara?” Ava could hear the fighting in the distance, but she knew she had more pressing priorities.

Sara was on her knees, bank bent, curved over like a caged animal.

She crept forward. She could see as she got closer that Sara was shaking, not from cold, but as if from exertion. She was panting too, harsh and unnaturally fast. “You’re safe. No one can hurt you here. No one can hurt you whilst I’m here.” Ava said quietly, praying Sara couldn’t hear the guards in the distance. Her hand came to rest on Sara’s back, but as soon as she made contact, she was pushed backwards by almost superhuman strength, she landed with a crack against a tree.

Ava blinked, shaking the stars from her eyes, and she raised her arm just in time to deflect the blow Sara swung at her. Her eyes were clouded over, her teeth bared, she made an inhuman sound and came at her again, and Ava covered her face against the flurry of blows.

“Sara!” She cried, then she decided to try something else, dropping her arms suddenly.

Sara’s fist connected with her nose, it cracked, and Ava spluttered from the pain.

Ava spat the blood from her mouth. “Sara, this isn’t you. You crawled from this place once before, I know you can do it again.” She said, as she steadied herself. Sara was on her knees again, crouched, waiting, her eyes on her. “Please, we need you here. I – I need you here, Sara. I need you to come back to me.”

Sara screamed, coming at her again, and Ava couldn’t fight her anymore, just braced her arms to try and hold her still long enough to listen.

“Nora was a child then; she didn’t do this. She was just a child, like you were. It isn’t her that must pay.” Ava said, as calm as she could be. “But that’s going to take time. You will get your revenge, but now, Sara, now – please, come back to me. Then we can work this out, together.”

Sara growled, still breathing heavily, her eyes unfocused.

“Sara, please, come back to me. I can’t do this without you.” Ava said, tears mixing with the blood on her cheeks. As she spoke, she noticed Sara’s breathing slow, her limbs loosen slightly.

“We need to go. They’re coming for her.” Nate appeared in front of them, eyes wild and nose bloodied, and Ava nodded.

“I’ll hold them off. Take her as far away from here as you can, okay?”

Nate nodded, and Ava looked at her friend for what she really hoped wasn’t the last time.

“I’ll be back in a minute.” She whispered, pressing a kiss firmly to Sara’s temple. All the fight had gone out of her and she seemed half dazed. Nate had her in his arms and on the horse in a flash, and Ava just had time to ready her bow when the first of Darhk’s men appeared over the ridge.

“Go!” She yelled, firing off an arrow, grimacing when she heard the sick crunch and the scream. She focused on the sound of hooves getting further and further away and set her jaw. She would give Sara as much time as she could, or she was going to die trying.

///

Sara awoke with a start, her heart racing, her head burning, she struggled, until she realised it was Ray and Nate holding her down.

“Sara? Is that you?” Ray said cautiously, and Sara groaned.

“Yeah, it’s me you dick, who else would it be? Get off!”

The boys did, carefully, and Sara groaned again as she sat up.

“Where are we? What happened?” She said, looking around. It was dark, she was laying on the forest floor. She could see Zari brushing one of the horses, tied to a tree in the middle distance.

“Darhk’s men came for us.” Ray said quietly. “We only just got away.”

“Where’s -” Sara started to say, suddenly breathless.

“They took Charlie, Mick and Ava.” Nate said, his voice hollow.

“Do we – do we still have Nora?” Sara said, then a voice from behind stopped her.

“No.” John said, not looking at her as he focused on lighting the small pile of sticks in front of him. “That big hearted idiot let her go.”

“You did what?” Sara said, her voice dropping. She didn’t miss the way Ray stepped back from her instinctively. 

“Nora – she’s not evil like her father.” Ray said. “She said she’s been sneaking out to go into the city and the town to see what he’s doing to them. She wants to make a change; she just needs a chance to get away from him. I wasn’t going to hand her straight back.”

“Ray, you spoke to her for what – five minutes? I don’t care what she is. We could have used her, bargained with her.” Sara said, breathing heavily, ignoring the black that was beginning to colour the edges of her vision.

“He did what was right.” Nate said indignantly.

“What does that matter!” Zari said angrily, throwing down the brush and striding towards them. “Mick, Ava and Charlie are as good as dead. You saved the life of a dictator’s daughter and you doomed our friends.”

“He didn’t know that.” Nate said, rubbing Ray’s back gently.

“What good were you anyway? You disappeared! We were fighting them outnumbered.” Zari said, her voice rising, and Nate gestured to Sara.

“I had to get the Captain out!”

“What?” Sara said, confused.

They turned to her.

“You – you don’t remember?” Ray said.

As Sara shook her head, John stood up. “Sara, you tried to attack Nora. The bloodlust took over.”

“I found you and Ava in a clearing – she was pretty beat up. She stayed behind to give you a chance to get away.” Nate said quietly, and Sara couldn’t breathe.

“And – and you let her?”

“It was her decision.” Nate said quietly.

“You should have – you should have carried her off -” Sara buried her head in her arms. “That’s why we lost, isn’t it? Why Darhk’s men could overpower us? I lost control -”

“It wasn’t your fault, Sara.” Zari said quietly.

“It hasn’t happened in years.” Sara whispered. “God, I’m so sorry. Ava -”

She trailed off. They stayed quiet, there was nothing anyone could say.

“What’s the plan, Captain?” John said quietly.

Sara took a deep breath; taking everything she had inside and pushing it down.

“We have to assume – we have to hope they’re still alive. If they are, they’ll be in the dungeons. We can break them out.”

“And if they’re not?” Zari said quietly, and Sara clenched her jaw.

“Then I’ll find Damien and kill him with my bare hands.” Sara said darkly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is everyone alive? will the gang rescue them? will sara get her final revenge?? chapter 5 comin soon!!


	5. happy to lie back, watch it burn and rust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> only this and the epilogue to go!
> 
> sorry i'm late in uploading, still gotta do that uni work lol

Ava groaned.

She hurt all over. She was numb and cold and dirty, and her chest was on fire, and her brain cycled through a million thoughts before she remembered – 

The adventure, the compass, the festival. Nora. Sara.

“Sara’s not here.” A familiar, tired voice sounded next to her, and Ava blinked a couple of times, adjusting to the darkness. 

“Charlie?”

“Glad you could join us.” Mick grunted.

“They got you too?” Ava groaned, moving slightly to give some relief to her numb legs. The wall she was leaning against was cold and slimy.

“Yep, it’s just us though. Locked up in Darhk’s dungeon together.” Charlie said. 

“Are you sure?”

“They all made it out.” Mick said, and Ava could make out a shape in the darkness that must be him. “I made sure of that.”

“How long have we been here?” Ava said, experimentally wiggling her fingers and toes, assessing if anything was broken.

“A day or two?” Charlie winced, and Ava could see now she was cradling her arm. “Mick would be out already, but my arm’s broke and you were out cold.”

“Here.” Ava murmured, tearing off her sleeve and ripping it until it formed a rough square. She crawled over and tied it into a sling, manipulating her shoulder as gently as she could, earning herself a muttered ‘thanks.’ She turned to where she assumed Mick was, ignoring the burning in her ribs. “You can get us out of here?”

“This isn’t my first gaol break.” He grunted.

“Thank you. You waited for us.” Ava said, and she meant it.

Mick just shrugged. “We can’t do anything until midnight.”

“How do we know when it’s midnight?” Charlie asked.

“Guard’s change.” Mick grunted again.

Ava leant back, dozing slightly. A week ago, she couldn’t sleep anywhere but her feather bed, and now she was contemplating napping in a dungeon, where she was pretty sure she just saw a rat out of the corner of her eye. She must have dozed off, as the next thing she knew she was being shaken awake.

“It’s time.” Mick muttered. “You gotta make him sleep.”

“Me?” Charlie hissed, looking towards where Mick was, out through the bars at the guard, lounging in his chair, fiddling with his keys absent-mindedly. “I don’t have my flute!”

“The flute’s just the instrument though – that’s what John said.” Ava said. “The magic comes from within.”

“I guess it would really suck to die down here.” Charlie muttered. “At least if we get caught, I’ll die running.”

Mick and Ava shrugged; it was as good a motivation as any.

They fell into silence, the only sounds the slow dripping from the slimy walls and the vague wails from prisoners in other cells. Charlie started quietly, her lips pursed, and a low sound came out. The whistling got louder and louder and Ava covered her ears when she saw Mick do the same.

She saw the guard’s eyes begin to close, blinking shut slowly, as Ava forced hers to stay open. Within a minute, he was out, and Mick nodded.

“Good work.”

Then he stood up, stooping low so as not to hit his head on the ceiling, grasped the bars with both hands, and yanked them free. Ava winced, the terrific clanging sound was sure to wake the guard, but Charlie’s magic held, and he just snored loudly. 

Mick set the bars down, then, more delicately than Ava thought possible with his huge hands, slipped the ring of keys from his belt loop, then, for good measure, stole the sandwich from the guard’s plate.

///

“Are we – letting the other prisoners out?” Ava whispered as they climbed the stairs.

“Not if we want to escape undetected.” Charlie said quietly.

Ava started to argue, she’d rather get caught freeing the captives of a corrupt regime than not trying at all, but she stopped when she heard Mick up ahead. 

“You’re late.”

She rounded the corner, and there she was, hair wild and face flushed. She had her arms around her before she knew what was happening.

“I thought you were dead.” Sara whispered. “I thought – if they knew who you were – they’d have killed you.” 

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, princess.” Ava said. “Are you okay?”

She seemed okay, a little dirty, like the rest of them, but back to her old self. Sara’s face broke into a smile as they broke apart. “We’re fine, you have to go though. We used an old tunnel to get in, but they’ll have noticed something’s wrong by now.”

“Us? What about you?” Ray said, confused. 

“Darhk killed my sister.” Sara said, a quiet anger running through her words. “I have to – I can’t let that go unpunished.”

“We’re not leaving you.” Ava said bluntly. “We can help.”

“No one is dying for my vendetta.” Sara said quietly, firmly, but the rest of the group were looking at her, equally stubborn. 

“We’ve come this far. I’m not backing out now.” Mick grunted, and Ava was pretty sure it was the most words she’d ever heard him say in one sentence. The others nodded.

“Darhk needs to be brought down.” Ray said, resolute.

“We might not make it out alive.” Sara warned.

“It’s a chance I’ll take.” Zari said firmly, and the rest of the team nodded.

“Thank you.” Sara said quietly, as if she was holding back tears. There was a sort of stillness in the semi-darkness of the corridor, as they all realised the enormity of what was about to happen. “Dahrk - he’ll be in the Great Tower, that’s the nicest apartments, but it’ll be crawling with guards.” Sara said, all traces of emotion gone. Her expression was set. “We’ll need a distraction.” 

“We can release the prisoners. Mick’s got the keys.” Charlie said.

“The guard’s weapons store – it’s the first place they’ll go when the prisoners escape.” Nate chimed in. “We should destroy it – that’ll give the prisoners a better chance of getting out.”

“Right – Mick, Z, Charlie – I need you to get the prisoners out, Ray, Nate – take out the weapons room. I need John with me – Darhk’s magic is too powerful.” Sara said.  
Ava didn’t need to ask where she was going; she wasn’t leaving Sara’s side.

There was silence, and Sara coughed, slightly awkwardly. Mick stepped forward, clapped her on the shoulder, and turned around, making his way back down the corridor. Charlie gave them a mock salute and followed him. “See you on the other side.” Zari said, grinning, and turned, just as Ray and Nate turned.

“Good luck.” Nate said with a nod, and they went off, up the corridor, leaving just the three of them.

“We’ll need to get up to the tower undetected.” John said quietly, and Sara nodded.

“I’ve got an idea about that. But first -” She said as she pulled the bow and quiver from where it was slung around her back, handing it to Ava. “You’ll need this.” 

Ava slotted the bow over her shoulder and grinned, feeling a little safer.

///

It turned out that Sara had been rather a rebellious child and had learnt the layout of the secret passages the servants used to move about the castle undetected by the time she was five. Darhk apparently didn’t use them, as they were dusty and full of cobwebs, which occasionally made their way into Ava’s mouth as they walked, causing her to splutter.  
They walked mostly in silence, aware that any noise through the walls could result in being discovered. Ava just followed Sara, only just making out her shape in the semi-darkness, four feet ahead.

“I’m sorry – before. When I lost control.” Sara said in a strangled whisper. 

“It wasn’t your fault. You’d just found out – that. I don’t blame you.” Ava whispered back. “Are you okay?”

There was silence. “I haven’t really – I haven’t let myself think about it. Sara said, and there was silence, as they shuffled onward. "I always thought - if she was alive - maybe she was trying to find me." Sara said quietly. "And we kept missing each-other. Or maybe she had found me, when I wasn't me, and I'd killed her. At least - at least this way I know. She didn't find me because she couldn't."

Ava wanted to hold her then, just hold her and never let go, but she kept quiet. Then, they heard a commotion below them.

“Must be the prisoners.” John said, just loud enough to be heard. “Are we close?”

Sara stopped, and Ava saw she was standing at the foot of a narrow, winding staircase.

“He should be at the top.” Sara muttered, and they began to climb.

When they got to the top, Ava was struggling to slow her breathing. They were pretty high up, but she could still hear the shouts of prisoners and the distant sounds of clashing swords. Sara was pressed with her ear against the door, then, very gingerly, pushed it open.

The corridor was deserted. 

Ava moved to the other side to look out the thin slit where an archer could be positioned and was a little surprised to see the courtyard was lit with an orange glow.

“They’ve set a fire.” Sara said, sneaking in underneath her, sounding rather proud.

“We’ve got to go.” John said, and they turned. Sara drew her sword, and pointed it down the corridor, but before she could speak, three guards came running down towards them.  
John stepped out in front of them, muttered something into his hands then brought them down as fists, which caused the guards to slam to the floor. They set off running, hopping over the bodies.

///

They didn’t stop when they reached a large, elegant set of wooden doors, Sara just burst through them with a shove, Ava and John close behind.

It was an elegant bedroom, and in the middle stood a man with white hair, with his back to them.

“Long time no see, Sara Lance.” He said, turning, his smile wide.

Sara stood there, frozen.

“Who’s this then? Your pet wizard?” He said, unimpressed, as John starting muttering again. With a flick of his wrist, John was thrown against the wall, where he connected with a crunch, then slid down, dazed.

Ava had drawn her bow, and had an arrow pointed at Darhk, but she knew she needed to let Sara be the one to kill him, but she was still stood there, unmoving.

“Now, you’re much more interesting.” He said, walking towards Ava, looking at her as the bear had done. Like he would devour her without a second thought. “You’re the Fresnovian princess, aren’t you? I’d very much like to study you -”

“Don’t you fucking touch her!” Sara shouted, raising the sword and swinging it, but Darhk materialised a sword from thin air into his hand and blocked her, his grin never wavering.

“There’s that old Lance spirit. Your father was just the same, before I cut him in half.”

Sara pulled the sword back and ran forward, landing blow after blow, but he was always there to deflect her – and Ava just stood, helpless, paralysed with the fear that her arrow could do more harm than good in such a confined space. Darhk didn’t seem unnerved; he rather looked like he was enjoying toying with them both.

“Shame he never got to see what I did to your sister. Unfortunate, she had to die so young. At least I’ll finally get to kill you too, finish the job.” He spat, and Sara lunged forward, pinning him against the wall, and Ava saw her opportunity.

The arrow stopped, an inch from his shoulder. Darhk held it in his fist.

“Stupid girl,” He said, looking at Ava. “All that power and you don’t know how to use it?”

He threw the arrow down, then pushed Sara off, forcing her backwards. Before she had time to recover, he’d brought the handle of his sword down against her temple, and she slumped forward. Ava let off another arrow, and he deflected it again, with just the wave of his hand.

“You really are annoying.” He muttered, then clenched his fist.

It felt like ropes were working their way around her throat, and Ava stumbled backwards, her breath coming in short pants, her hands scrabbling to remove the invisible restraints. There was blackness at the edge of her vision, but Ava could just see Sara stumble to her feet, but before she could do anything, Darhk turned to the door, like he’d heard something.

“Nora’s back.” He said, then unclenched his fist, causing Ava to slump to the floor, gasping. He pushed Sara backwards against the wall, then strode out.

Ava just lay there, desperately trying to breathe, her head ringing. Sara was suddenly next to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

“Forgive me, princess.” She whispered, then she was gone.

It was a minute before Ava could stand. Her throat was on fire, she knew she’d have a hell of a bruise if she lived to see the morning, and she stumbled forward to where John was slumped. He was coming around, groaning.

“Where’s she gone?” He groaned.

“I’m going after her. Don’t die before we get back.” Ava muttered, picking up her bow again, and he just groaned in what Ava really hoped was in agreement, as she opened the door and dashed out.

///

Ava ran down the corridors, her quiver bumping against her back, trying to follow the way they’d come. She could hear distant shouts and screams, which seemed to be getting closer –

She slid to a halt at the bottom of the stairs and pushed open the door.

The main courtyard was filled with prisoners fighting with makeshift weapons again the guards, visible in their thick helmets and chainmail and in the distance, she could see the thick smoke from the approaching fire. She dove to the side as a giant swung a lamppost at a guard, sending glass flying, and she craned her neck up, trying to see –

Zari was unleashing her powers on the guards, and she saw Charlie jump from a barrel to slam her flute against a guard’s helmet. Darhk was in the centre of it all, sending prisoners flying, and shouting something that may have been his daughter’s name. 

Then she saw her, and Ava could only watch as Sara charged at him, and he brought a sword into his hand and slashed at her.

She stood up, no longer caring for her own safety, and primed her bow. Ava’s arrow found its mark, nestled in his chest, but Darhk just grinned, a vicious grin that bared his teeth, and he took a step forward – then stopped. The blade of a sword burst from his chest, slick with blood, and he dropped to his knees, and Ava could see Sara behind him, hunched over, pushing the blade further in, before she dropped from view. 

The world was ending. Fires had started spreading, people were running through, screaming, the clash of swords and cries of pain filled the air, but for Ava it all moved as if underwater. She ran forward, pushing past people, shoving Darhk’s body to the side.

“Sara?”

There she was, lying face down. The slash down her chest had stained her shirt a dark red; the blood was on Ava’s hands as she turned her over. 

Sara was glassy eyed; her breathing laboured.

“He’s dead, Sara, you did it.” Ava whispered, cradling her in her arms, running her thumb over her cheekbone. Sara smiled then coughed, causing a thin line of blood to run down from the corner of her mouth. 

“Keep them safe.” She whispered, her chest seizing with the effort of speaking, and Ava cradled her head, her fingers buried in the blonde hair, matted with blood.

“Sara, no, please – you’ve won, you beat him – you can’t give up now.”

Sara couldn’t hear her anymore; her eyes were unfocused and star bound.

“I’m glad I met you.” She whispered, making eye contact one last time, and Ava watched helplessly as her chest seized and stilled.

Ava cried, alone for the first time since she ran away, the tears running down her cheeks creating little trails that cut through the blood and dirt and sweat. The world around her was suddenly quiet, the only sound the crackling of fires and Ava as she sobbed, bringing Sara up to chest.

The bell tolled.

She was vaguely aware she should move, the golden light at the edges of her vision probably meant the fire was getting closer, but as she looked up, there was no fire. Everyone was staring at them, mouths agape, and Ava realised it wasn’t the fire that was glowing – she was, her whole body was surrounded by the golden sparks.

Magic. She glowed with magic; it had enveloped Sara too, and Ava took a deep breath. She felt what had lain dormant within her for twenty-five years awaken, a depth of magic so powerful she could see everything, the lives of her friends, the lives of everyone in the city and beyond, the spark of every living thing, on the ocean and across it.

She placed her hand on Sara’s chest, spells she’d never learnt yet always known dripping from her tongue, and the light became hotter and denser until she could no longer separate herself from it. Her mind was moving at a million miles an hour, twisting as an arrow through time, then she was catapulted back into her body with such force she was knocked backwards.

Her eyes cleared, and Sara was there, sat upon the blood stained cobbles, marvelling at her own hand, as the last of the golden light dissipated from between her fingers. She looked up, every bit the Queen she now was, and every bit the cocky bandit with the sly grin Ava had come to know her as.

“You’re alive.” Ava whispered and Sara looked at her, wide eyed.

“You saved my life. You – you beautiful, magical idiot, you saved my life -”

Ava laughed, so relieved and tired, then Sara was in her arms and their lips met. The kiss was brief, but it didn’t matter; it contained the promise of a thousand others.

All the light and noise had attracted the attention of everyone in the courtyard, and it was a strange sight. Seemingly all at once, the guards dropped their swords, almost in disbelief at the sight of the once powerful dictator cold on the cobbled stone.

There was a scream that cut through the quiet murmurings, and Ava looked up to see Nora, face ashen, hurtling through the crowd, only stopped when Ray put his arms out to hold her still. She resisted, kicking and crying.

“You have to – you have to let me to him – please.” Nora was screaming, but Ray held firm.

“He’s dead – he’s dead, I’m sorry.” Ray was muttering, over and over. 

Ava realised, a little too late, people were converging on Nora slowly, weapons in hand –

“Stop!” Sara shouted, struggling to her feet. “Let her go. She’s no threat to you.”

Nora stopped, and just looked at her. “Go.” Sara said, quietly. “This ends tonight. They’ll be no more killing.” She said, her voice louder, addressing the crowd.

Ray released his grip, and Nora stepped forward, and for one, horrible moment, Ava though she might enact her revenge, but instead, she dropped to her knees. “Long live the Queen.” She said, voice crystal clear, cutting through the chaos at the edges of the city. Ray followed suit, kneeling, and Ava watched the rest of their friends do the same. 

Whispers had lit up the courtyard, as slowly, people realised -

“Long live Queen Sara!” A voice from the crowd shouted, and more and more got to their knees, guards and prisoners alike, and Ava did the same, looking up at Sara. Her eyes were wide, tears on her cheeks as she looked around as more shouts came, and more knelt beneath her. 

“Long live the Queen.” Ava said, and Sara looked at her.

Across the ocean, dawn broke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also yes that was a prison break reference lmao


	6. no other version of me I would rather be tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its the epilogue!! thanks to everyone who's stuck with this <3

“Your Majesty, the dressers are here -”

Ava jumped, pushing her papers to the side, but Nora still tutted as she came into the room.

“Ava, put that away! You can’t have ink stained fingers, not today of all days.”

“I was just putting my finishing touches to the proposals.” Ava said sheepishly, letting Nora fuss over her. Ava had taken it upon herself to bring Nora into her employ, and now she worked as the most efficient and respected advisor in the whole of Starling.

“It’s bad enough that you’re spending your honeymoon dealing with delegates from the seven kingdoms.” Nora said, not unkindly. “But you absolutely can’t spend your wedding day doing it.”

“Sara understands how hard it is to get all the delegates here at the same time, and – well – I thought, if everyone was here for the wedding -” Ava said, blushing. “Have you heard from Sara?”

They hadn’t spent a night apart since the night they freed Star City, but Sara had insisted on following the custom, and Ava could never say no to her, but now she was getting angsty. Nora looked at her, eyebrow raised and a kind smile on her face.

“I spoke to Ray an hour ago. She’s fine.”

“Right – you said the dressers were here?” Ava said, taking a deep breath, and Nora moved to open the door.

///

“Sara, please, can we go back? I need to polish my armour.” Ray said, whining slightly.

“You polish your armour twice daily, Ray. You love that thing more than Nora.” Sara said, only half paying attention. Her eye was on the deer, and she steadied her hand, the arrow in her quiver settling, pointing directly at the spot Sara knew would have him dead in the quickest time. She arched her back slightly, careful not to startle her horse, Gideon, and was about to let off her shot when Ray sneezed, and the deer bolted.

“Damn!” She groaned, then turned to glare at him. He looked up sheepishly. 

“Sorry!” He said, wheeling his own horse round. Sara had given him a great white horse when she’d given him a commission as her knight, and he’d named him Galahad, and it was the thing he loved most in the world, after Nora and his armour. “Can we head back now? Ava will kill you if you’re late.”

Sara nodded, and they started the gentle climb back up towards the castle walls, the horse’s hooves crunching against the dried leaves.

///

She knew she was running late, and she knew she needed to get through the castle undetected, or all the delegates Ava had invited would see her, slightly muddy and unkempt, two hours before she was meant to be standing at the altar. She ran through the Great Entrance Hall, hoping not to be spotted in the crowd, only to stop suddenly.

“Zari?” She said, slightly incredulously.

Zari turned and grinned, and Sara’s eyes widened. Gone were the simple cotton shirts and trousers, instead she was dressed in a dark blue jacket with matching trousers, with gleaming golden buttons, a burgundy waistcoat and ruffled shirt. Her hair was in a complicated braid down her back, and she wore a tricorn hat, with yet more gold for the brocade. At her side was an impressive sword, the blade curved, and the handle wrapped in stiff leather – decorative, but Sara was sure it could be deadly. She was every bit a pirate queen, and Sara nodded appreciatively.

“Wow – look at you, you made it!” 

“Wouldn’t miss it for anything.” She said, tipping her hat, and Sara noticed Behrad appear behind her, dressed similarly. He bowed low.

“Your majesty.” He said with a matching grin, and Sara rolled her eyes. 

“We’ve also got -” Zari started, but she didn’t need to finish – Charlie came up behind her, and dipped her hat too, and Sara could see pieces of gold braided in her hair. She was dressed as they were, even with the sword.

“Oh, we’ve got so much catching up to do.” Sara grinned, then turned to Ray. “Make sure they get good seats, okay? I’ve got to go; Ava will kill me if I’m late -”

///

Nora clapped her hands together, beaming. “Oh, your Majesty, you look stunning.” 

Ava turned to look in the mirror.

The dress was a pale blue velvet, with slightly puffed sleeves and a full-length skirt. The bodice was white and embroidered on were hundreds of tiny violet and gold flowers, so intricate and delicate it took Ava’s breath away. Nora had twisted her hair down her back in soft curls, and Ava could only gape as she placed the crown on her head. It was silver and embedded with sapphires, as delicate as the dress, gleaming as if it was new, though Ava knew it was over a hundred years old, a Lance family treasure. 

“Are you ready?” Nora asked, and Ava turned to her and nodded, too full of butterflies to speak. 

“Are – are my parents here?” She stuttered, and Nora looked at her, full of pity.

“Not as far as I’m aware of.” She said, as gently as possible, and Ava felt her heart sink, although she smiled through it. She’d written to her parents, first renouncing her throne, then again and again, and then to invite them to the wedding. They hadn’t yet replied to any of them.

“No matter – we should -” She said, and Nora took her hand, as they made their way through the castle’s back passages.

///

“She’s late, isn’t she?” Ava hissed. She was stood in an anteroom by the Great Hall, with only Nora, who looked a little sheepish, as she made the final touch-ups to her dress.

“Ray assures me she’s on her way.”

“Oh, I am going to -” Ava muttered, then turned. “You don’t think she’s having second thoughts? Oh god -” 

Her spiral was halted when Nora placed a comforting hand on her arm. “She’ll be here, I promise. I’ve never seen someone so in love.”

Ava nodded, breathing deeply, almost jumping out of her skin when a face popped through the door. It was Ray.

“You ready? She’s here.”

Ava sighed, laughing slightly with nerves, and nodded.

“Miss Darhk.” Ray said with a grin, and he held his arm out. Nora took it, then turned to Ava. 

“You got this, okay? Just don’t stop walking.”

Ava nodded, and they left. She took a deep breath. It was now or never.

The entranceway was deserted, and Ava stood in front of the huge wooden doors that led to the throne room, and Sara. She could hear the faint sound of violins from within.  
The doors opened; the room fell silent. 

It was beautiful – a huge vaulted ceiling, with warm stone walls that had been covered with flowers and ribbons for the occasion. The room was packed, but Ava walked down alone. She saw a few familiar faces in the crowd, and smiled when they waved at her – Charlie, Behrad and Zari in their pirate regalia, John and Mick, who each gave her a nod. Nate gave her two thumbs up, and Ava could just see Ray and Nora at the front, turning to look at her –

She looked up properly, and there was Sara, stood next to the bishop, sparkling in a deep purple dress and golden crown. The music was reaching a crescendo, and Ava was sure she would fall, but Sara was right there, beaming at her –

At the top of the stairs, Sara took her hands in her own, and Ava held on tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> then everyone wakes up because this was a fever dream ray had (jokes this is a real au)
> 
> is there a sequel to this about sara and ava as co-queens?? yes. will i write it? probably not. should you write it?? of Course!!

**Author's Note:**

> me: i should think for a proper name of the sharpe kingdom  
> me, as evil kermit: call it fresnovia
> 
> me, watching narnia: okay but what if this was way less colonial and way more gay
> 
> comments and kudos always appreciated!! also, if you click subscribe, you get an email when this updates!!


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